Medical-marijuana patients must be considered

Oct. 18, 2013, patient Matthew Dillon, left, has his blood pressure checked as he is examined while renewing his authorization for a medical marijuana prescription at the Choice Wellness Center in Seattle (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson).

Government must consider needs of marijuana patients in new legislation

I read the article in The Seattle Times on what lawmakers are looking to do to regulate legal cannabis outlets come next year. And I just saw red [“State pot officials can exhale as rules get the OK,” page one, Oct. 17].

What I’m most concerned about is that none of the government officials, nor the Liquor Control Board members are talking to medical-marijuana patients.

I’m concerned that we’ll see the government treating the marijuana industry like the liquor industry after Prohibition — in that the casual users and their cash will have the laws tailored to them because the cash seems more important, especially for states that are suffering from the effects of a sluggish economy.

Legislation that does not include medical-marijuana patients, like me, basically puts our needs — and the fact that for many of us, medical cannabis is the difference between costly, dangerous Western medicine treatments and a life that still has some quality while we fight our diseases — aside for who knows how long.

That any lawmaker would even imagine leaving out this discussion angers and disgusts me. I’m used to our government caving in to special interests, rather than focusing on the needs of human beings, especially low-income people. As I fight my disease, I’m even more baffled that our current attorney general wouldn’t do some more research and interviews with patients.

We are different from casual users and I sincerely hope we aren’t forgotten, and both casual users and patients get what we need.

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